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UdupiInformation Note to the Press (Press Release No 81/2026)
TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA
www.trai.gov.in
New Delhi, 01 July 2026
For Immediate Release
TRAI Assesses Mobile Network Quality Across in Udupi District, Karnataka LSA.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released findings of Independent
Drive Test (IDT) conducted across Udupi District, Karnataka LSA, during the month of
March 2026, for information of general telecom consumers. The purpose of this drive test is to
assess and verify real time quality of mobile network services (both voice & data) provided by
Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). During the IDT, TRAI captures performance of TSPs for key
Quality of Service (QoS) parameters like Coverage, Call Drop Rate (CDR), Call Setup Success
Rate (CSSR), data Download (DL) and Upload (UL) throughput etc., which are then published
to inform Consumers and encourage TSPs to improve their services.
2. These IDTs have been designed to capture on ground mobile network performance of
all TSPs across diverse usages environment like cities, hotspots, public transport hubs, etc. In
this type of drive testing, live data and voice sessions are established using SIM cards from all
TSPs over 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks. Multiple advanced test handsets are used, and the
sessions are monitored and analysed in real-time using advanced Software Systems.
3. TRAI, through its appointed agency, conducted drive tests across City drive – 535.5
KMs, Hotspot locations - 15, Walk Test - 9.8 Kms and Highway drive – 103.3 Kms in Udupi
District during 17th March 2026 to 20th March 2026 in Karnataka LSA. These tests were
conducted under the supervision of the TRAI Regional Office Bengaluru. The observations
presented in drive test reports represent the performance of the TSPs on the area/ route under
test on the day/ time of conducting the drive test.
4. Drive Test Route Map: The following map provides overview of drive test routes
indicating City drive, Inter-operator calling, Hotspots and Walk tests, as per the legends shown
on the map:-
15. Key Parameters Assessed
a) Coverage Gap: Percentage of samples, for which signal strength observed less
than the minimum prescribed signal strength for respective technology (2G/ 3G/ 4G/
5G).
b) Voice Services: Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call
Setup Time, Call Silence Rate, Speech Quality (MOS).
c) Call Silence Instance: Number of call silence instance occurred during the calls.
d) Data Servies: Download/ Upload Throughput, Latency, Jitter, Packet Drop Rate
6. The overall mobile network performance in Udupi District for the key parameters has
been summarised below:-
a) Coverage Gap - The signal strength observed during voice testing on the drive test
route in auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G), measured as the number of samples
having poor signal strength out of the total samples collected, was 5304/46558 for
Airtel, 18643/44700 for BSNL, 4561/46087 for RJIL and 11219/42475 for VIL.
Details of the coverage gaps have been provided in the map Annexed.
b) Dropped Calls - Dropped calls, measured as the number of dropped calls out of
the number of successfully established calls, were 1/420 for Airtel, 22/396 for
BSNL, 4/422 for RJIL and 13/392 for VIL. Details of the dropped call locations have
been provided in the map Annexed.
c) Call Silence Instance - Call silence instances, measured as the total number of
silence instances observed for > 3 seconds out of the total calls established, were
30/ 407 for Airtel, 22/ 316 for BSNL, 16/ 402 for RJIL and 32/ 380 for VIL. Details
of the call silence instance locations have been provided in the map Annexed.
d) Data Download and Upload Throughput:
i) Data Download performance (Overall): Average download speed was
observed as 96.45 Mbps for Airtel (5G/4G), 5.65 Mbps for BSNL (4G), 197.40
Mbps for RJIL (5G/4G) and 23.09 Mbps for VIL (5G/4G/2G). Detail of Download
throughput has been provided in the map Annexed.
ii) Data Upload performance (Overall): Average upload speed was observed as
17.00 Mbps for Airtel (5G/4G), 1.76 Mbps for BSNL (4G), 14.78 Mbps for RJIL
(5G/4G) and 10.81 Mbps for VIL (5G/4G/2G). Detail of Upload throughput has
been provided in the map Annexed.
Locations of Dropped Calls and Call Silence instances can be seen by clicking
red dot on the map Annexed.
7. Details of drive test route and area covered during the IDT is as under:-
a) City - The areas covered in the city drive are Padubidri, Santhekatte, Kota, Kumbhashi,
Kundapura, Baindur, Nellikatte, Shiroor Murukai, Hebri, Ajekar J.H.C, Karkala and Belman
etc. in Udupi District.
b) Coastal - Saligram A to Saligram B passing through the great mangrove islands and Malpe
Beach to St. Mary's Island passing through Malpe Sea View Point & St. Mary’s line etc.
c) Hotspot - The hot spot locations, capturing stationary user experience, are Canara
Mall Manipal, District Government Hospital Udupi, Kasturba Medical College (KMC)
Hospital Manipal, Mandavi Times Square Mall Udupi, Manipal MIT Campus, RTO
Office Udupi, Sri Krishna Temple (Car Street) Udupi, Tip Top City Centre Mall Udupi,
TMA PAI Hospital Manipal, Udupi Deputy Commissioner Office, Udupi District and
Sessions Court, Udupi KSRTC Bus Stand, Udupi Nagarasabha Municipal Office,
Udupi Railway Station, and Udupi Taluk Office.
2d) Walk Test - The walk tests conducted on 17th to 20th March 2026, covered Karkala
Bahubali Statue Hill Pathway Area, Malpe Beach Promenade–Malpe Beach
Entrance to Sea Walk Area, and Sri Krishna Temple Udupi-Udupi Service Bus Stand
etc.
8. The findings of this IDT report have been shared with respective TSPs for taking further
necessary action at their end. Detailed reports of IDT are made available on the TRAI website
at www.trai.gov.in. For any clarification or additional information, an email can be sent to
adv.bengaluru@trai.gov.in or Regional Office of TRAI at Bengaluru RO can be contacted on
telephone No. +91-80-22865004.
(B. Praveen Kumar)
Advisor, TRAI RO Bengaluru
3Annexure
1. Udupi District:
a) Coverage Gap – The coverage distribution found less than the minimum specified signal
strength for the drive test route in auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) during voice testing,
is as below:-
Parameter AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Total Number of Samples captured on Drive test
46558 44700 46087 42475
route
Number of Samples having poor signal strength 5304 18643 4561 11219
Note: Signal strength has been considered poor if it falls below −110 dBm for 5G & 4G, −90
dBm for 3G, and −85 dBm for 2G.
Coverage Gap observed
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only
4b) Dropped Calls - The TSP-wise details of dropped calls in auto-selection mode (5G/
4G/ 3G/ 2G) are as below:-
Parameter AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Number of successful Calls Established 420 396 422 392
Number of dropped Calls 1 22 4 13
Locations of Dropped Calls
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Dropped calls locations are shown in red color and which can be clicked to know
the exact location (latitude and longitude) on the map
5c) Call Silence Instance - The TSP-wise details of Call silence instance in Auto-selection
mode (5G/4G) are as below:-
Parameter AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Call Established
407 316 402 380
(within service provider network)
Number of silences calls for >3 Sec 30 22 16 32
Total number of silence instances for >3
41 30 17 49
Sec
* NA – Not Applicable
Locations of Call Silence Instance
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Call silence instances are shown in red color and which can be clicked to know the
exact location (latitude and longitude) on the map
6d) Data Download and Upload throughput: The TSP-wise details of Average
Download (DL) and Upload (UL) throughput against declared typical DL/UL
Throughput for month, in Auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) are as below:-
(i) Download Throughput
Measured AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Parameter
in (upto 5G) (upto 4G) (upto 5G) (upto 4G)
Typical Download
throughput declared by (Mbits/s) 15.22 10.03 15.00 15.00
TSP
Average Download
Throughput measured (Mbits/s) 96.45 5.65 197.40 23.09
during IDT
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only
7(ii) Upload Throughput
Measured AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Parameter
in (upto 5G) (upto 4G) (upto 5G) (upto 4G)
Typical upload throughput
(Mbits/s) 7.94 3.00 7.00 8.00
declared by TSP
Average Upload Throughput
(Mbits/s) 17.00 1.76 14.78 10.81
m easured during IDT
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only
82. Kodi Kayak Point-Saligram and Malpe Beach to St. Mary's Island
Coastal Drive:
a) Coverage Gap – The coverage distribution found less than the minimum specified signal strength
for the drive test route in auto-selection mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) during voice testing, is as below: -
Parameter AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Total Number of Samples captured on Drive test route 10938 8708 10828 10775
Number of Samples having poor signal strength 3438 6146 3201 3708
Note: Signal strength has been considered poor if it falls below −110 dBm for 5G & 4G, −90 dBm
for 3G, and −85 dBm for 2G.
Coverage Gap observed
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only
9b) Dropped Calls - The TSP-wise details of dropped calls in auto-selection mode (5G/ 4G/ 3G/ 2G)
are as below:-
Parameter AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Number of successful Calls Established 99 63 99 98
Number of dropped Calls 1 2 1 2
Locations of Dropped Calls
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Dropped calls locations are shown in red colour and which can be clicked to know the exact
location (latitude and longitude) on the map
10c) Data Download and Upload throughput: The TSP-wise details of Average Download (DL) and
Upload (UL) throughput against declared typical DL/UL Throughput for month, in Auto-selection
mode (5G/4G/3G/2G) are as below: -
(i) Download Throughput
Measured AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Parameter
in (upto 5G) (upto 4G) (upto 5G) (upto 4G)
Typical Download
(Mbits/s) 15.22 10.03 15.00 15.00
throughput declared by TSP
Average Download
Throughput measured during (Mbits/s) 89.41 3.91 174.55 9.68
IDT
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only
11(ii) Upload Throughput
Measure AIRTEL BSNL RJIL VIL
Parameter
d in (upto 5G) (upto 4G) (upto 5G) (upto 4G)
Typical upload throughput
(Mbits/s) 7.94 3.00 7.00 8.00
declared by TSP
Average Upload Throughput
(Mbits/s) 11.51 3.56 7.66 6.13
m easured during IDT
AIRTEL BSNL
RJIL VIL
Note: Plot is based on Dynamic Drive Test results only
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